Apparatus for manufacture of metalic strips having corrugations extending transversely of strip length are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,998,600, 4,067,219, 4,268,568 and 4,507,948. In general, a continuous length of ribbon or strip stock is fed from a stock coil between one or more pairs of opposed rollers having intermeshing teeth for forming corrugations or fins in the strip stock passing therebetween. The corrugated stock is then fed to a cutting or severing station at which motion of the strip is arrested and the strip is cut to individual lengths. A takeup roller arrangement is positioned between the forming rollers and the cutting station to permit continuous operation of the forming rollers while advancement of the corrugated stock is arrested for cutting. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,948, the cutting station comprises a roller having slots formed in the periphery thereof, and a rotary saw blade positioned on the opposite side of the strip stock path. Position sensors detect location of a roller slot opposite the saw blade, at which point motion of the strip stock is arrested, and the saw blade is moved into the opposing roller slot so as to sever the strip stock captured therebetween. Severed strip stock length is thus determined by diameter of the slotted roller and position of the slots and sensors. Any variation in severed stock length requires major readjustment of the forming line and/or replacement of individual components in the line.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machine of the described character for corrugating a continuous length of strip stock that includes facility for convenient and rapid adjustment of severed stock lengths. Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the described character in which severed stock length may be selectively varied during machine operation.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved cutting apparatus, as compared with the saw blade and slotted-roller arrangement of the prior art as described above.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the described character for corrugating two continuous lengths of strip stock, for severing such strip stocks at continuously and independently controllable lengths, and for stacking the severed strip lengths so that the stack is of a contour for use in heat exchangers, catalytic convertors and like apparatus of predetermined peripheral geometry. Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a dual strip machine of the described character that is compact in construction, and that occupies about the same shop floor space as do single-strip machines of the prior art.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for corrugating continuous lengths of strip stock that satisfies one or more of the foregoing objectives, and yet is economical to fabricate, readily implementable by way of retrofit in corrugation machines previously constructed, and fully automatic in operation.